Multi-Cooker Veggie Risotto
A quicker, slightly more hands-off method for a flavorful, creamy risotto!
Rice dishes are one of my “go-to” choices for comfort food, and risotto ranks high on the list. It’s an extremely versatile side dish or entree, prepared simply with a bit of cheese or in collaboration with seasonal produce.
Risotto is traditionally made on the stovetop. Slowly simmering and stirring the rice while adding small amounts of broth allows the rice to absorb the liquid, release its starches, and create a creamy consistency. Using the pressure cooking setting on an Instant Pot or another multi-cooker makes the process more hands-off, lessens the cooking time, and yields a creamy texture. Much of the time, I truly enjoy the rhythm of the traditional method. Yet I also appreciate having a quick-cooking option that frees me to work on other parts of the meal.
This multi-cooker version features mushrooms, greens, and zucchini, yet feel free to change up the veggies based on the seasons. Leeks, peas, asparagus, green beans, carrots, bell peppers, and winter squash are just a few produce items that work nicely. All of these can be added early in the cooking process, except for the peas which should be added at the same time as the zucchini in the recipe.
No multi-cooker or prefer the stovetop method? Try this recipe as is, or use any of the ingredients listed below. Note: more stock is required for the stovetop method.
Flavor-Building Tips:
Use a good quality, low or no sodium broth or stock - either homemade or a store brand such as Kitchen Basics, Pacific Foods, Swanson, Good & Gather (Target), and Kirkland (Costco).
Use good quality veggies, cheese, and dried thyme. Fresher veggies, fragrant dried herbs, and better-quality cheese will provide more flavor.
Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan after adding the wine or vermouth. These are flavor boosters!
Use a spritz of lemon at the end to brighten and enhance the other flavors, and balance the richness.
Taste before serving and adjust salt as needed. The amount of salt in broth or stock may vary as will the flavor extracted from the veggies and herbs. It depends on the brand, freshness, and quality. Sometimes less salt will be required, sometimes more.
Multi-Cooker Veggie Risotto
Makes: approximately 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup diced sweet onion (or 1/3 cup dice shallot)
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon of minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
2 cups chopped kale, collards, or Swiss chard, thoroughly washed, dried, tough stems removed
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock
1 cup arborio rice
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
1/2 zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup freshly shredded cheese – Parmesan, Manchego, or Gruyere
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Garnish: fresh, chopped parsley or basil (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the “saute” or “brown” setting on a 6-quart Instant Pot or other multi-cooker. Add the onions and mushrooms, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 -4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and chopped greens; saute for another 30 – 60 seconds, until fragrant but careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the white wine or vermouth and deglaze the bottom of the cooker scraping up the browned bits. Turn the “saute” or “brown” setting off on the cooker.
4. Add the broth, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Secure the cover and ensure that the dial on top is set to “pressure.” For the cook settings, select:
manual or pressure cook
high
time set for 4 minutes
quick release when the time is up
6. Remove the cover and add the zucchini. Secure the cover once again, and set the cook settings to:
manual or pressure cook
high
time set for 2 minutes
quick release when the time is up
7. Remove the cover. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cheese, and lemon juice stirring to combine. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed.
8. Serve immediately with a garnish of fresh, chopped parsley, or basil (optional).